ghostintheshellfandomcom-20200213-history
Transcript:The Day the Bridge Falls
Man: This concludes the report from the SDA forces involved in the bomb disposal operation in the Kyushu Broadcast Tower. Can we consider the matter resolved now? Takakura: This does mean that there are still more than 10 kilos of plutonium remaining in Dejima. Madam. I will announce an official mobilization of the SDA along these lines. Do you approve? Kayabuki: The Cabinet has reached a consensus. There's nothing I have to add. Kayabuki: That could've gone better. It seemed to me that the business at this Cabinet meeting was a tad too forceful. Are you going to ignore the calls from our neighboring Asian countries, starting with the Chinese government about avoiding the use of armed force? Takakura: A country that declined to take in any of refugees has no right whatsoever to meddle in this affair. Kayabuki: Yes but, the concerns shared among our neighbors over our arms buildup is growing even more-- Takakura: By the way, we also received a message from the American Empire. They warned us about the refugees. We mustn't let them set a precedent by gaining independence with nuclear arms. To that end, we should show a united front in dealing with this issue, even if it means moving up the schedule on the Security Treaty. Kayabuki: But when did they say that? I hadn't been told about any... Takakura: You're too pro-China for their taste. They don't trust you, Prime Minister. It's clearly looking as though the fall of Dejima will mark the end of the Kayabuki administration. Batou: That son of a bitch will probably catch on any minute now. Motoko: Probably. Operator: The target vehicle has been found abandoned in a parking area on the Nagasaki Expressway. Commander: What about the plutonium?! Operator: There was no sign of it. Commander: I see... Gouda: We have no choice. We can't permit the media to get wind of this. We'd like you to give number one priority to information manipulation, and work under our command in the retrieval of the plutonium. Officer: I know all that. I'll let you handle this, but... Gouda: No need to worry. If you do exactly what I tell you to, everything will turn out fine. I'll go back to the office and begin working on a way to spin this situation. Man: Understood, sir. Togusa: Well, it appears as if the Major and the others are already on their way to Spring-8 as we speak, Chief. Aramaki: Very good. Kayabuki: It's been officially decided to mobilize the SDA. The Chief Cabinet Secretary's press conference is at 7 o'clock, at which time mobilization will commence. Togusa: That's a little under an hour from now, Chief. Aramaki: I expect they're already preparing in Nagasaki. Kayabuki: Chief Aramaki. I don't know what the Chief Cabinet Secretary hopes to gain by letting the situation to deteriorate this badly. That will only serve to turn it into a quagmire. Dejima will fall almost as soon as the fighting begins, so it won't become one of the Security Treaty's potential enemy states. But if that's true, it doesn't jive with the plan to establish a military-industrial complex part of the Chief Cabinet Secretary's goal. Aramaki: Right true. Nevertheless, if we assume the quagmire itself is his goal, it makes a certain amount of sense. Even if the refugees do surrender, it doesn't mean that they are going to up and go away. It provides a reason for taking the funds for the refugee policy and diverting them towards a military buildup. Kayabuki: You are absolutely correct. Ugh, but it's going to mean more pressure from China, as well... Aramaki: He is clever, so he must have another trick up his sleeve that we aren't aware of yet. It occured to me, just now. Perhaps you could hand the decision over to the UN in order to buy some time? Borma: Major, it looks like the GSDA has a checkpoint up ahead. Batou: Well, I didn't expect they are going to let us leave so easily... Got a plan? Aramaki: Major, it's me. The Prime Minister has submitted a request to the UN for a nuclear inspection. If all goes well, the inspection team will arrive in Japan in two days. Then if we can hand over the plutonium to them when they come here, there is a strong chance that we can put an end to this situation. Can you remain at large 'til then? Motoko: Yes, if we can find somewhere to lie low. I think hooking up with the inspection team is gonna be pretty tricky, though. Aramaki: Find a way to make it work. Our options are running out. This might be the last card we have to play, Major. Motoko: I'll do everything I can. And Chief, about the recruits who are back at headquarters... Just in case anything happens, I'd like to make you sure that they don't get involved. From here on in, we'll handle this ourselves. Aramaki: Understood. I'll make the necessary arrangements. Motoko: Also, regarding the Tachikoma units... Batou: What's wrong? Aramaki: We were cut off just now. Togusa: Maybe it's the National Emergency Legislation local restriction provision... Kayabuki: The conference will be starting soon. I'm off to the press briefing room. Togusa: So, what have we got ourselves? A war now? Takakura: The United Nations? Did Kayabuki call them in? Man: Yes, sir. Takakura: See to the preparations for ousting her from office. Man: Yes, sir. Takakura: All right, let's get started. Reporter: On the heels of the Self Defense Army's cordoning off of Dejima, major roadblocks are being set up in surrounding districts. Refugees: Today, we will win our independence in all but name! Today, we will win our independence in... We demand that the Japanese government acknowledge Dejima as an independent country! With recognition we would then be able to trade freely and live self-sufficiently! Where is the crime in that?! We have nuclear weapons in our possession! The government has admitted to this fact! This is the fruit of Comrade Kuze's labor! For that reason alone, throwing him out is an unthinkable act! Takakura: And our deadline before we begin attacking is two days. The arrival of the UN nuclear inspection team will be the final deadline. If, by that time, we do not receive an answer from the refugees on this, we will have no choice but to initiate preliminary attacks. That is all. Batou: Looks like it's started. Motoko: Now that we've been cut off from the Chief, we don't have an option. Under the circumstances we'll have to operate on our own initiative. But I'll leave it up to each of you to decide whether or not to take part in this op. Batou: Hey, come on? It sure ain't as if this is the first time we've had to act like a pack of rogue thugs. We are only planning to play hide 'n seek with the Self Defense Army, aren't we? Motoko: No, we're going to be transporting the plutonium to Dejima. Batou: Dejima?! Motoko: That's right. We'll sneak into Dejima under cover of the SDA invasion. Besides, that's where the inspection team will be coming. When we are there, we'll nab Kuze, then give him and the plutonium to them as a package deal. Saito: Something that crazy could only come from you. I'll go along for the ride. Paz: Well, I'm okay with it. Borma: And me, I'm with you. Batou: It's not that I object, but... Motoko: Are you against it? Batou: No, I'll earn my pay on this one in exchange for some cheap thrills as a bonus. Motoko: It's unanimous then. Announcer: Large road blocks have been erected by the military on the streets of Nagasaki... Reporter: In addition, all scheduled domestic flights are currently... Commentator: So, viewed in that sense, the decision of the government's... Motoko: Ishikawa, what's your condition? Ishikawa: That you, Major? I'm still laid up in bed. Motoko: Come on, a little medical leave isn't so bad. The reason I'm calling is that I have a favor to ask. Ishikawa: What do you need? If there's anything I can do to help, I'll do it. Motoko: I just dispatched a Tachikoma that's on its way out to you. Inside the pod is half the plutonium recovered from the Kyushu Broadcast Tower. I want you to take it to Spring-8. Ishikawa: Oh, okay... I see what you're up to. Sure, I can do that for you. But what about you guys? Motoko: We're heading for Dejima with the remaining plutonium. Ishikawa: To Dejima?! That's one seriously insane plan you've come up with... What about Togusa? Motoko: He's with the Chief at the Prime Minister's residence. Ishikawa: I see. Major, I'm sorry I can't be there with you guys, but don't do anything reckless. If they start bombing the place from the air, there's no telling what will happen. Motoko: I know. You should watch your back, too. Ishikawa: You can count on me. Motoko: I'll leave you to it. You can watch for us on the news when we hand over the plutonium to the UN inspection team. Ishikawa: Be careful, Major. Don't get yourself killed. Batou: Say, Major. Can I ask you a question? Motoko: What is it? Batou: Back when I used your external memories to have my little chat with Gouda, well, I felt guilty about doing it, but I took a peek at your memories involving Kuze. Motoko: So? Batou: It wasn't as though I actually saw anything, but, I got the impression that you have some feelings for Kuze. When you dove his brain, what happened to you? Motoko: Nothing special happened while I was in there. But when I made contact with his memories, he reminded me of someone I'd been close to long ago. Batou: Used to be close to? Motoko: Yeah, but that was way in the past. It's ancient history now. Saito: Okay, we're just about there! Refugees: Are they really gonna attack us with tanks? Of course, 'cause they know we're ready to suicide bomb their asses. Comrade Kuze's orders were to do nothing, remember? But whatever you do, don't start anything. That way, international public opinion will side with us. We are going to win this war without so much as firing one bullet. Check with Kuze before you do a thing. Yosuke: So, you must be Hideo Kuze. Kuze: And you are? Yosuke: Oh, you know, I saw you overseas once. Kuze: You did? Yosuke: You were surrounded by throngs of followers in Taiwan at the time, but it appears that there are very few people here in Dejima who know what you look like. Kuze: It's because many of the people here have cyberbrains. Yosuke: Ah, I see. That's the method you've been using to spread your beliefs among the refugees. Of course, I find it remarkable that you've maintained the mental strength to continuously answer questions from nearly three million people. In fact, I believe it's nothing short of miraculous. Kuze: Yes, but there is a hidden danger in it. Yosuke: Hidden danger? Kuze: Yes. Just as water runs downhill, the human heart also tends to revert to its basest instincts. After I broke free of the ideological virus and returned to Dejima, numerous refugees began to link with me. Ever since then, I've come to value their goals... I have dedicated myself to helping them fulfill their dream, and made that my sole motivating principle. That's why it wasn't too difficult to become the leader of these people. I've filtered out all other consciousnesses except for theirs, I've also attempted to synchronize my beliefs with the refugees who are constantly linked to me. Right after the war ended, I wandered Eurasia, I set out to try to find the reason for being of individuals within a system. In the course of my quest, I learned from the refugees. They taught me that human beings inherently exist only through the intervention of others. Yosuke: If you weigh your duties and your rights by placing them on a scale, and add weights to the "rights" side first, you won't lose yourself even if you obey society's rules. Kuze: Yes. After I was introduced to it, I found that concept to be vastly appealing. But once the refugees learn of the existence of the upper levels of the hierarchy through the net, even they forget that fact, and they eventually digress to their most elementary state. When you have power, you want to put it on display. Same thing when you have a weapon: you want to try it out. Yosuke: Since you already aware of that, why have you drawn out the situation this far? Did you seriously believe you'd be able to accomplish this "revolution" nonsense so effortlessly that it would be easy? Kuze: No, I didn't. However, the revolution that I have in mind is still a ways off. I view this as a first step, as pointing people in the direction of the superstructure... That represents the ultimate goal of my revolution. Yosuke: The superstructure? Well, then you mean that isn't the same thing as a hierarchy? Kuze: No, it isn't. The network that currently covers most of the Earth is already transforming into the base. And now that its original purpose is complete, it's creating another meaning. From there, it'll turn into an entity with new meaning that will exert an opposite effect on the base. Although it can't be separated from the base, it will undergo a shift to become the superstructure. That is the definition of the revolution I have in mind. Yosuke: I don't really follow all that, but can you actually get the refugees to share in this belief? Kuze: I think they share it on a subconscious level, but not quite on a concrete one just yet. Yosuke: Ah. A lifetime ago, I left public service out of my intense fascination for people. Well if you'd consider the advice of a doddering old codger, I'd say place your priority on reality rather than ideals. There's still time to put an end to this whole mess, you know. Motoko: Tachikoma, I'm gonna dive Kuze's cyberbrain one more time. Back me up. Batou: You think that's safe to do? Motoko: Connecting with him is not the difficult part. The real question here is whether or not he'll accept a message from us. Man: Representative. We've received a report that a helicopter just took off without orders from the Oomura garrison. Gouda: So, we've found them. I see that they're following my script to the letter. What's the status on our EP-3C deployment? Man: Sir, we believe it is already on station above Dejima. Gouda: Good, we'll begin with that. We'll cover all of Dejima with a jamming signal, rendering the refugees into standalones. If we do that, the refugees will start running out of control on their own. Tachikoma: Gosh, the net's being cut off... It looks like a communications blackout is starting on Dejima. Motoko: Have a defense barrier array on standby. We'll fire in our message file at once! Tachikoma: - Roger! - Roger! Kuze: What?! Yosuke: What's wrong? Kuze: They're coming here? And they're bringing the plutonium with them. Yosuke: What are you talking about? Kuze: We're cut off from the net. The SDA is jamming us? They must be trying to isolate the refugees. Refugees: The tanks are coming! Kuze: It looks as though someone in the government subscribes to the same philosophy as me. Refugees: What should we do? Don't know. Let's go. Kuze: I'll go to the barricades on the bridge. The odds are high that fighting will break out. I can't allow people like you to be killed. You must escape. Please get out of Dejima if you can. Yosuke: You're the one who can't die, Kuze. There must be something you can do. Kuze: I hope you're right. Motoko: Did it work?! Tachikoma: The message got in just before the net was cut off, Major ! Motoko: Good! Refugees: Shit, I'm gonna kill these guys! I hit one! Soldier: We've got a man down! Cover us! I hear gunshots! Has fighting broken out?! Commander: Don't shoot! Stop shooting. Hold your fire! They have nukes over there, damn it. Gouda: Just as water runs downhill, the human heart also tends to revert to its basest instincts. Batou: What the hell happened? It looks like fighting broke out! Refugees: The tanks are coming in like we thought! Drop the bridge! Category:Transcripts